Drug & supplement interaction

Bacopa + Thiotepa

Thiotepa brand names: Thioplex, Tepadina.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Bacopa has a moderate interaction with Thiotepa. Theoretically, bacopa might increase the levels and adverse effects of CYP3A4 substrates.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Bacopa and Thiotepa

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

Why this applies to Thiotepa

Thiotepa falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES — the group Bacopa interacts with.

Theoretically, bacopa might increase the levels and adverse effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
Research on the effects of bacopa extracts on CYP3A4 enzymes is conflicting. Some in vitro evidence suggests that bacopa extract can moderately and competitively inhibit CYP3A4, while other in vitro evidence suggests that any effect is unlikely to be clinically significant.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the short version for thiotepa and bacopa. Thiotepa is processed in the body partly by a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. In test-tube studies, bacopa might slow that same enzyme down a little. If it did, thiotepa could hang around longer in your system, which in theory could mean stronger effects and more side effects, things like low blood counts, nausea, mouth sores, or higher infection risk.

That said, this is only a theoretical concern based on lab data, and the evidence even disagrees with itself. Still, thiotepa is a serious chemotherapy drug, so I wouldn't add bacopa on your own. Please check with your oncology team or pharmacist first, since they manage your dosing closely.

References
  1. Kar A, Pandit S, Mukherjee K, Bahadur S, Mukherjee PK. Safety assessment of selected medicinal food plants used in Ayurveda through CYP450 enzyme inhibition study. J Sci Food Agric 2017;97(1):333-40. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.7739. PubMed
  2. Ramasamy S, Kiew LV, Chung LY. Inhibition of human cytochrome P450 enzymes by Bacopa monnieri standardized extract and constituents. Molecules 2014;19(2):2588-601. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Bacopa Also Interacts With Other Medications

Bacopa has 916 moderate, 13 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Thiotepa one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Bacopa

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Bacopa. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Thiotepa

This page covers Bacopa only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Thiotepa page lists 146 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Grapefruit (major), St. John's Wort (major), Acacia Rigidula (moderate) and Acerola (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 102 moderate · 41 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Thiotepa page

“Thiotepa (Thioplex, Tepadina) is chemotherapy, given for several cancers and to prepare patients for stem cell transplant, so its 146 supplement interactions make up a list to respect rather than skim. Three carry a major rating: grapefruit, St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Thiotepa interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Bacopa as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 1,420 real supplement products containing Bacopa, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Bacopa. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Thiotepa too, on top of Bacopa — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Bacopa and Thiotepa Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Bacopa
Top 10%

#137 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Thiotepa
Steady interest

#2,093 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Bacopa

What is Bacopa?

Bacopa
  • Memory and cognitive support
  • Anxiety and stress
  • ADHD symptoms
  • Age-related memory decline
  • General brain health

Bacopa is an Ayurvedic herb most often used for memory and thinking. Some small studies suggest it may modestly help memory when taken regularly for several weeks, but the evidence is limited and quality varies. It is generally well tolerated but can cause stomach upset, and it should be avoided in pregnancy and breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data.

Read the full Bacopa monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Thiotepa Injection

What Is Thiotepa Injection Used For?

Brand names: Thioplex, Tepadina

Tepadina (thiotepa) injection is used for several purposes. It treats adenocarcinoma (a type of cancer) of the breast or ovary. It is also used to control malignant effusions — abnormal fluid buildup in body cavities caused by cancer spreading to those areas. For bladder cancer, Tepadina treats superficial papillary carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Tepadina is also used in pediatric patients with class 3 beta-thalassemia (a severe inherited blood disorder). In those patients, it is given as part of a preparative regimen — a conditioning treatment to reduce the risk of graft rejection before an allogeneic stem cell transplant (a transplant using donor stem cells), alongside the chemotherapy drugs busulfan and cyclophosphamide.

See full Thiotepa Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Bacopa

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Bacopa — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
916Moderate
13Minor
1,900No known interaction
Moderate

916 interactions

Showing 60 of 916 moderate interactions — see all 916 on the Bacopa page.

Minor

13 interactions

No interaction 1,900 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Bacopa and Thiotepa Together: Common Questions

Can you take Bacopa with Thiotepa?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Bacopa and Thiotepa interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Thiotepa and Bacopa?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.